Friday, March 6, 2009

ON BEING HUMANE

What is more important for a human being to devote his or her life to than growing more humane?

To become humane is to realize and fulfill one’s essence and destiny as a human being; it is the full actualization of that innate potential we are born to develop but sadly, in most lifetimes, fail to unfold or bring to light.

Our humaneness stands opposed, at worst, to our monstrosity. To be a monster is to live far from those qualities that identify us at our best, but rather show us at our most bestial—though in ways that would insult most beasts: more savage, wild and atrocious than most animals are to their own kind.

Kindness, kinship, generosity—these are the cognate words we use to indicate the essence of humanity: respect, affection, love that recognizes and honors the intrinsic dignity, worth, value of each, of every, human being.